Mornin' Mail

The Mornin' Mail is published every weekday except major holidays
Friday, March 19, 1999 Volume VII, Number 194

Did Ya Know?. . .The Knight Pythias will have a Chili Feed for members and guests at 6:30 p.m. on Tues., March 23. The chili will be cooked by Jack Martin & Bill Huntley.

Did Ya Know?. . .The Carthage Police Department will hold Neighborhood Meetings from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. on March 22 at Carthage Sr. High, and April 12 at the Memorial Hall.

today's laugh

What did you get that little medal for?

For singing?

What did you get that big medal for?

For stopping.

What is the name of your new play?

The Broken Leg!

That's a funny name. Why are you calling it the Broken Leg?

Because it's got such a large cast.

She told me that you told her the secret I told you not to tell her.

The mean thing! I told her not to tell you I told her.

Well, don't tell her that I told you she told me.

Can you keep a secret?

No, apartment rents are too high these days.

1899
INTERESTING MELANGE.
A Chronological Record of Events as they have Transpired in the City and County since our last Issue.

A DELUGE OF WATER.

Borne by a Small Tornado Struck Carthage Last Night.

Carthage was visited last evening at about 8 o'clock by a very hard rain, driven by a high wind, which for a few moments in severity resembled a small tornado. Signs were blown down and loose lumber and vehicles were overturned and smashed up all over town. There was also a lively fall of hail for several minutes.

The storm belt seems to have been pretty well defined. At Webb City there was little wind and rain fall was only a light sprinkle. Pittsburg, Kansas, is said to have been badly handled by the storm.

At the city engineer's office in the court house two windows were blown in, one on the north and one on the west side. The rain came in torrents, flooding the floor. The glass was blown all over the north sideof the lawn.

At R. H. Rose's store the plastering on the ceiling of the first floor was wet and will have to be removed. The water ran down into the basement, doing considerable damage in that department.

T. J. Shelton reports that a horse was blown over his liverly barn, but it developed that the horse was a tin one used for a weathercock.

At the blacksmith shop of C.H. Ziler, located in the old plow works on Grant street, a hole about 12 feet high and 18 feet wide was blown in the east wall. The wall is of two thicknesses of brick, and some of the bricks were blown 30 feet away.

Trees a foot in diameter which stood in the yard of the David Miller property on Grant street were twisted off. Trees in W. H. Phelps' yard were also damaged.

The awning pole in front of W. C. Thomas' grocery store blew into and broke a window in the Roessler building, just south of the room he occupies. His vegetable case also blew over and considerable glass in it was broken.

The rainfall during the night as registered by the rain gauge was 1.42 inches.

Today's Feature

Public Works Receives Sidewalk Draft.

The Public Works received a proposed draft of the ordinance pertaining to property owner sidewalk maintenance and repair during their regular meeting last Tuesday evening. The draft will be discussed again at the next regular meeting on March 23 in City Hall.

The proposal comes after months of discussion in the Committee and is intended to provide incentives for property owners to bring sidewalks on their property up to code. The main incentive for the program, if approved, is the City paying $1.50 per square foot for sidewalk replacement. According to Engineering Department Head Joe Butler, this amounts to approximately half of what replacement would cost in most cases.

Property owners would also have the option of paying the entire cost of replacement over a five year period through a tax assessment on the property. Those choosing this option would not be eligible to receive the $1.50 per square foot reimbursement. Neither option would apply to new construction of sidewalks, only replacement of existing walks.

The proposed plan allows several options for the actual construction, including the property owner doing the work themselves, the individual contracting for the work, or the City arranging for the work through a sidewalk contractor based on an annual bid process.

The proposed regulations will also deal with the removal of stumps, trees, and tree roots which are located on or within public right-of-way. The typically includes any land between the sidewalk and the curb.

"The city engineer shall have the right to remove or order to be removed, any stump, tree, or tree root which has caused sufficient damage to any sidewalk, making it unsafe for pedestrian traffic, provided that said stumps, trees, or tree roots are located within the public right-of-way."

The proposal also allows for any orders by the City Engineer to be appealed by the property owner to the City’s Board of Appeals.

The proposed ordinance continues to place property owners responsible for the maintenance of sidewalks.

"It shall be the duty of the property owners owning property along and in front of which sidewalks have been, or may hereafter be, constructed, to keep such sidewalks in good repair at all times."

Citizen input is welcomed on the proposal according to Butler. A meeting may be held to hear public comment.

Spring River Artists Hosting Second Reception.

by Robin Putnam, artCentral

We have had such a great first two weeks!! Lots of visitors..lots of folks from around this area...it's been wonderful!! We loved all of our traveling visitors out at Red Oak II..but local visitors are the best!!

The Spring River Artists want to invite everyone out Saturday evening the 20th of March. They will be hosting a 'meet the artists' open house from 6 until 9. The public is invited and refreshments will be served.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who couldn't make it to their opening!! This is a wonderful collection of artists and artwork...and they're darned nice people too!! So come by and say 'hi'' Saturday evening...See you there!!

This show will remain on display until April 9th. Our next show will be a one woman show featuring the oil paintings of Joplin artist, Jane Kleindl.

Jane's show is titled 'A Mother's Day: Superheroes, Cowboys and Hula Babies'. It's a Pop Art perspective on children's role-playing in America.

We want to thank everyone for their patience with getting the Wednesday Life Drawing sessions back on track....we think we have al the bugs worked out. As far as no heat on the third floor....well...we'll just move the group into the largest room on the second floor. It's a done deal so everything is back to normal for next weeks session.

There is a new model to try so we will be rotating her with our present model and maybe even some other models for things like head studies, etc.

The sessions are Wednesday from 6-8 p.m., five dollars per person, you bring your own drawing supplies. We have a small amount of vine charcoal and a very limited selection of pencils at hand but no paper. We do have standard drawing benches available. So..we'll see you next Wednesday.

In case it wasn't said enough...thanks....to Don, Craig, Shellie, Ron and Don's guys for all their help in making the Hyde House such a great place!! If you haven't seen us you're really missing out!

More......next week.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

If the proposed sidewalk ordinance is approved, the only thing that will really change is the City will, for the first time, be offerin’ to help with the expense of bringin’ sidewalks up to par. The fact that walks are on public right of way, but have to be maintained by the property owner is not new. That’s the way its been for a long time now.

I don’t doubt that a lota folks won’t take advantage of the City funds, and there will be a set amount that can be spent each year. Property owners may squirm, but the alternative, havin’ to pay for all of the cost, is a lot less attractive. By not enforcin’ the existin’ sidewalk safety ordinance, the City becomes the target of insurance companies when someone breaks a leg trippin’ on the walk. This may help to get at least a few of our walks back up in shape.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.